Silk Mill has a new Chairman

Rupert Nabarro, of Bere Mill near Whitchurch, has accepted an invitation to become Chairman of the Whitchurch Silk Mill Trust.

He will replace Councillor Keith Watts, who has been Chairman since all the other serving Trustees resigned last year amid a controversy over the future of the Silk Mill as a public asset.

Mr Nabarro was educated at Oxford (BA in PPE), and University College London (M Phil in Town Planning). He was until the end of 2012 the chairman and chief executive of IPD (Investment Property Databank) which he founded in 1985, aged 40. He has managed the development of the business from 3 staff in 1985 to around 350 spread over 11 international offices in 2012. He has led the various changes required in the life of a rapidly growing business … building partnerships with universities, public bodies and trade associations; managing staff and organisational issues; dealing with shareholder issues.

Rupert has largely concentrated on the management of IPD. He has however been a long term trustee of the arts-environment charity, Common Ground. He has helped the establishment and rebuilding of an abandoned synagogue in Hania, Greece; and was for some years a director of the Black Country Development Corporation.
He was awarded an OBE in 2009.

Rupert Nabarro said

“It is an honour to be asked to chair this great project which is an important community asset; part of our industrial heritage; and of interest way beyond Hampshire. Keith has done a great job in getting a fine team of managers and trustees together and I hope to be able to contribute to its future success.”

Keith Watts said

“As a Whitchurch Councillor who represents the Borough Council on the trust, I saw my job as being to lead a transition from last year’s decline, that threatened closure of the Silk Mill as a public asset, to a lively and optimistic voluntary body under professional leadership. That job is done, this is the time for me to give more time to my wider responsibilities as a Councillor and leave the Chair for someone new who will lead the next stage of the resurgence of Whitchurch Silk Mill.

“I am delighted that Rupert Nabarro has agreed to join the Trust as Chairman and I am confident that he will make a major contribution to further development of the living, weaving heritage of the Silk Mill.”

Silk Mill Hoardings

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